Price Negotiations

If you are going to "discount", I would never do it by lowering the price. I would either lower the service by cutting out the hours worked, or by giving a print credit as someone else suggested. You can throw in a extra free 11X14 of any photo they buy at full price, for example. That costs you very little and if the condition is that they have already paid full price for the photo. If they get to have a DIFFERENT photo free, there is the opportunity cost of them not paying full price for it. I realize that some customers have budget restraints, but sometimes you just aren't a "match". Hold firm and if you must give a little, give a little that has huge perceived value.

D Thompson wrote in post #11707487
It's funny, my GF rarely buys anything without first asking for a best price, discount, or something to the effect. Rarely does she not get something and as she says, it never hurts to ask. The few times she hears no, she buys anyway. Probably what granny is doing and will pay your price.

Well - I may actually do that sometimes myself it's a commodity product like a TV, stove..... or camera equipment . These are identical items that can be sourced from many different retail outlets.

But when it is some thing that involves a high level of service and specialized expertise, I feel it's a different set of circumstances. The actual materials cost of the print being purchased is relatively minor compared to your time and talent. Photographer A has a different eye and skill level when compared to Photographer B - so you can't really try to bargain apples to apples.

I discount but you have to spend more...not less. It's true even for food items. Go look at peanut butter. The bigger the jar, the less you pay per pound, but you still pay more for the big jar than the little jar.

I have a lab that has printed my work for years, they do an outstanding job and produce a finish that sets itself apart from all the rest. They do good work but, at a price. I feel it gives you an outstanding prints. I can save you some money and use another lab or one of the online print labs, if you like.
- I can also reduce the edit time I figure into the session fee and just give everything the industry standard edit.
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Nobody wants a standard print or a standard edit. They want top of the line. You just have to show them the error of there cheap thoughts, in a polite manor.

If they have seen my photographs and like the way they look, the only way to get that look is my way.
Anyother way is just not the same and though it's not substandard, it is just standard.

sapearl wrote in post #11707919
Well - I may actually do that sometimes myself it's a commodity product like a TV, stove..... or camera equipment . These are identical items that can be sourced from many different retail outlets.

But when it is some thing that involves a high level of service and specialized expertise, I feel it's a different set of circumstances.

Oh, it doesn't matter to her, she'll still ask. She needed a new sidewalk and asked the guy if he'd knock off some if she paid cash. He did, she did. There are times when no discount is given, but I am constantly surprised at how many people will discount by her just asking.

And yes, I let her do my negotiating.

D Thompson wrote in post #11708594
Oh, it doesn't matter to her, she'll still ask. She needed a new sidewalk and asked the guy if he'd knock off some if she paid cash. He did, she did. There are times when no discount is given, but I am constantly surprised at how many people will discount by her just asking.

And yes, I let her do my negotiating.

Makes sense. He can easily hide cash income from Uncle Sam.

I get kind of sick of the discount question, it's fine to negotiate depending on the terms, but for prints and the basic service it's tough to go down when you have those prices for a reason, at least if you researched pricing and your cost of doing business that is. Cut costs = cut services, it's that simple. It's just like what was pointed out, you don't walk in with $3 wanting a $5 12" sub - they sell you the 6" for $3 and send you on your way not negotiating.

There's one parent who wants ALL pics I shot of his kid, wants a custom package that I just don't offer and giving "special" deals to him is a violation of the NCAA rules (sports obviously). So only way to give this discount is offer it to everyone, can understand why he'd want it buying in bulk just not as easy as they think.

Then there's an MLB team, yes Major League Baseball, team that wants a discount, a 100% discount, and sent an insulting email to one of the teams that uses my images because I wouldn't hand it over free.

So, when it comes to discounts you stick to your guns - BULK discounts are OK, cutting services to cut cost is fine, just doing it to do it, not happening.

D Thompson wrote in post #11708594
Oh, it doesn't matter to her, she'll still ask. She needed a new sidewalk and asked the guy if he'd knock off some if she paid cash. He did, she did. ........

Hopefully her concrete man didn't pour a thinner pad equivalent to the diminished cost .

For less than honest vendors, there's always the potential for getting less time or expertise invested in a product when you can't actually "see" it being produced (mixed/poured in the case of concrete), just so he/she can get the work, and you get your "discount." In other words you are really getting what you are paying for: less.

Btw Dennis - you have some very nice pieces in your fine art gallery.

I think if your smart, you build into your price point room that will allow you to deal with the people asking for discounts. Wait till you start dealing with brides on a consistant basis. They all have a budget and they have to stick to it, but they really love your photography and want to work something out so they can hire you. I hear it on over 50% of our clients.

Then you get the networks like the knot and other telling brides how to bargin with your photographer to get a better price point. Its just everywhere you go.

So my suggestion is build a little WIGGLE room into your price point so that you can negotiate. Theres nothing wrong with that as long as YOU know where you bottom line is at.

Also, try not to discount. Offer something else that may seal the deal. Cant tyell you how many times ive told a perspectibe bride on a saturday wedding..you know what, it a saturday and with your larger group, i just cant discount it any cheaper than i have because of the amount of processing i will be doing for you. But I really want to photograph your wedding. It sounds like its going to be a blast. So what i would like to do is also offer you a free 16x20 board print of your choice. Its a 110.00 value and i will give you a 30% discount on any frame you choose..

the 16x20 cost me $37.00..thats not a big deal on a 2500.00 wedding package. The frame for the board print..i make a few bucks at it even though they get a discount. The brides like the idea, especially at a show when they are looking at all the 16x20's we have displayed. Its sealed a few deals for us. There are other ways to bargin back on your part as well.

so maybe dont be so opposed to the word discount and maybe be a little smarter and be prepared for it-- because it going to happen

Meh. I'd rather turn them away. One bride tried to get something out of me. I forget what exactly, but I called her bluff and told her to shop around. She spent 3 months looking, then came back and booked.

cdifoto wrote in post #11708724
Makes sense. He can easily hide cash income from Uncle Sam.

True for those that take cash for just about any business.

sapearl wrote in post #11709914
Hopefully her concrete man didn't pour a thinner pad equivalent to the diminished cost .

For less than honest vendors, there's always the potential for getting less time or expertise invested in a product when you can't actually "see" it being produced (mixed/poured in the case of concrete), just so he/she can get the work, and you get your "discount." In other words you are really getting what you are paying for: less.

The discount in that case wasn't much and if he was going to screw over her with less than work, he was probably going to do that anyway. She was going to use him even had he said no. Who knows on some things whether you're actually getting what you paid for or not.

My point was that there are people that will ask and some that don't. Just like Granny asked the OP. If she now gets a couple of prints thrown in she has gained from asking.

Thanks.

It has been mentioned previously but if they balk at your prices advise them Walmart takes pictures for a lot less money if they don't care how the images turn out. You have set your prices where you feel it is fair to the customer and to you the photographer and still deliver high quality images the customer will be proud to display. If they plan to put the images away and never let them see the light of day ,walmart can take snapshots for them. Perhaps you might consider keeping track of how much time you spend in photoshopping the images to give them a better idea of the time and labor that went into delivering the finished product to them. Pushing the shutter button is just the 1st step.

Don't mean to hijack the thread, but I received a very similar email from a potential wedding client. Here's what she said:

I mean, really? I don't even know where to begin in my response back to her.

u_loco_local wrote in post #11710745
Don't mean to hijack the thread, but I received a very similar email from a potential wedding client. Here's what she said:

I mean, really? I don't even know where to begin in my response back to her.

Unless you don't actually sell the disk, that's not an unreasonable request. She's asking for less product to meet her budget. When she says editing, she probably means retouching. Explain that to her and see if you can work something out.

Yep files on a DVD / CD, are going to cost you more as you are able to print what and when, you want.

You will make your wedding album from my DVD / CD,

Some things are best left not responded too. Makes them wonder if they have gone a bit to far. If she likes your work, she will contact you again and with out so much guff!